# NHS Occupational Therapist Salary 2026/27 (Band 5) — Pay Scale, Hourly Rate & Take-Home Pay

> Official 2026/27 NHS Occupational Therapist (Band 5) salary UK: £32,073 to £39,043 gross per year (£16.40/hr). Monthly net take-home pay is £2,040/mo at entry and £2,381/mo at top step after PAYE tax, NI, and 8.3% CARE pension.

Canonical: https://netpayscale.uk/roles/occupational-therapist/
Last updated: 2026-10-26

## 1. Key 2026/27 Pay Facts for NHS Occupational Therapist (Band 5)
- **Agenda for Change Band:** Band 5
- **Starting Gross Salary:** £32,073/yr (£16.40/hr)
- **Top Step Gross Salary:** £39,043/yr (£19.97/hr)
- **Basic Daytime Hourly Rate:** £16.40/hr | **Night/Saturday Rate:** £21.32/hr | **Sunday/BH Rate:** £26.24/hr
- **Monthly Net Take-Home (National):** **£2,040/mo** (Entry) to **£2,381/mo** (Top Step)
- **Regional Entry Net Pay:** Inner London (+20%): **£2,390/mo** | Outer London (+15%): **£2,305/mo** | Fringe (+5%): **£2,128/mo** | Scotland: **£2,040/mo**

## 2. Occupational Therapist (Band 5) Pay Step Progression Table (2026/27)

| Experience Step | Annual Gross | Hourly Rate | 2015 CARE Pension | Monthly Net Take-Home |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Entry (0 yrs) | £32,073 | £16.40/hr | 8.3% (£222/mo) | **£2,040/mo** (£24,483/yr) |
| After 2 years (Mid) (2 yrs) | £34,592 | £17.69/hr | 8.3% (£239/mo) | **£2,177/mo** (£26,129/yr) |
| After 4 years (Top) (4 yrs) | £39,043 | £19.97/hr | 9.8% (£319/mo) | **£2,381/mo** (£28,570/yr) |

## 3. Related Links
- [NHS Occupational Therapist Interactive Salary Calculator (HTML)](https://netpayscale.uk/roles/occupational-therapist/)
- [All 41 NHS Job Roles Directory](https://netpayscale.uk/roles/)
- [NHS Band 5 Pay Scale Guide](https://netpayscale.uk/bands/band-5/)